Apparatus, system, and method for cooling and heating

Abstract

The present disclosure is generally directed towards an apparatus for use in printing systems. The apparatus may include an ink filter having an ink chamber configured to allow ink to flow therethrough and a coolant chamber configured to allow coolant to flow therethrough. The coolant chamber may be further configured to cool ink in the ink chamber. Numerous other embodiments are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an ink filter including an ink chamber configured to allow ink to flow therethrough and a coolant chamber configured to allow coolant to flow therethrough, the coolant chamber further configured to cool ink associated with the ink chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the coolant chamber is configured to receive coolant at a coolant inlet and output coolant at a coolant outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the ink chamber is configured to receive ink from an ink tank and output ink to a printing station. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the coolant chamber has at least one of a tubular configuration, a shell and tube configuration, and a plate configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the coolant chamber is operatively connected to an ink filter cover configured to enclose the ink in the ink chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the ink filter is operatively connected with at least a portion of an ink line, the ink line having at least one sensor device associated therewith. 
     
     
         7 . A printing system comprising:
 an ink filter operatively connected to a printing station via an ink line, the ink filter including an ink chamber and a coolant chamber, the ink filter configured to receive ink from an ink tank and output ink to the printing station;   a sensor device operatively connected to the ink line; and   a valve configured to allow coolant into the coolant chamber, the valve in communication with the sensor device.   
     
     
         8 . The printing system of  claim 7  further comprising an ink pump configured to supply ink from the ink tank. 
     
     
         9 . The printing system of  claim 7  further comprising a viscosity controller configured to control the viscosity of ink. 
     
     
         10 . The printing system of  claim 7  further comprising a coolant unit configured to supply coolant to the coolant chamber through the valve. 
     
     
         11 . The printing system of  claim 7  further comprising a controller in communication with the sensor device and the valve, the controller configured to control the valve based upon, at least in part, a characteristic measured by the sensor device. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus comprising:
 a machine tool heat-transfer-fluid filter including a heat-transfer-fluid chamber configured to allow heat-transfer-fluid to flow therethrough and a coolant chamber configured to allow coolant to flow therethrough, the coolant chamber further configured to cool heat-transfer-fluid in the heat-transfer-fluid chamber.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising:
 a sensor device associated with a machine tool heat-transfer-fluid line, the machine tool heat-transfer-fluid filter configured to include at least a portion of the machine tool heat-transfer-fluid line; 
 a valve configured to allow coolant into the coolant chamber, the valve being in communication with the sensor device; 
 a controller in communication with the sensor device and the valve, the controller configured to open and close the valve based upon, at least in part, a characteristic measured by the sensor device; and 
 a coolant unit configured to supply coolant to the coolant chamber. 
 
     
     
         14 . A method for cooling ink in a printing system comprising:
 receiving ink at an ink filter; and   receiving coolant at a coolant chamber within the ink filter.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 measuring a characteristic of the ink with a sensor device; and 
 controlling a flow of the coolant into the coolant chamber based upon, at least in part, the measured characteristic of the ink. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the flow of the coolant into the coolant chamber is controlled by a valve in communication with the sensor device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the flow of the coolant into the coolant chamber is controlled by a controller in communication with the sensor device and a valve. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the measured characteristic is at least one of temperature, pressure, flow, mass flow, pH, viscosity, and humidity. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 a chamber configured to be operatively connected to a filtration device, the filtration device configured to allow filter fluid to flow therethrough, the chamber further configured to allow temperature-altering-fluid to flow therethrough and to alter the temperature of the filter fluid associated with the filtration device, wherein at least a portion of the chamber is inside the filtration device.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the filtration device is at least one of an ink filter, a coating filter, and an adhesive filter, and wherein the filter fluid is at least one of ink, coating, and adhesive.